Maras Archive

The fascinating Incan terrace designs of Moray in the Sacred Valley. There are 3 of these circular terraced constructions, each built to different depths adjacent to each other along the length of a valley. There are many fascinating aspects to this site, largely believed to be an agricultural experimental zone built by the Inca’s. Each circle creates a unique micro-climate with different temperates, soil types and other conditions that simulate environments and enable cultivation of a range of crops from the major regions of Peru. (ie mountains, jungle and coastal zones). As you descend the terraces, the temperature changes noticeably and you become aware of a special peace and energy. Many believe that there is more to this than agriculture (think astronomy, aliens), certainly the Andean people and their shaman come here to conduct ceremonies and make offerings to Panchama – mother earth. Whatever its original function though, it is indeed a special place!

A distant shot of the salt farms of Salineras – the scale of this really takes your breathe away when you first sea. Carved into a valley, surrounded by green mountains; there are some 3,000 salt pans in total, all cleverly irrigated and feeding off a small salt water spring, remnants of a long lost sea. Originally built by the Incas some 600 years ago, these were later expanded by the Spanish through slavery but today the salt farms are each individually owned, direct inheritance from their slave ancestors though still operating much as they also have. Given it was rainy season, they are a little brown and minimally worked – this becomes a sea of white in dry season and a hive of activity, but impressive all the same!